Hang On
by HouseofBones
Summary: My idea of what Booth and Brennan was doing in the two weeks after he was shot..Post Wannabe in the Weeds
1. Chapter 1

What happened? One minute I had gotten out of my seat and turned around to the sound of my name being yelled in a broken voice, and the horror of seeing a gun pointed straight at my partner. I pull my gun and then...

Impact without sound...my body spinning around, not doing what I want it to do, which is to shield my partner. Why am I lying down? I need to get up...there is something...I am...

Numb, my arm will not move, no matter how hard I try. I am frantic, I need to get up...I need to get up...What is happening to me, and Bones is...

Leaning over me...I try to tell her...the danger is not over...but something is wrong, my voice will not work. There is something I need to do, something I need to...

Tell her. But I cannot draw air into my lungs...I need to tell her to watch out...I see her glance away...She looks at me again...tugging at my shirt...telling me to...

Hang on...but I can feel myself slipping...my vision clouding...and she is frantic...she is crying...her eyes are pleading...And as my vision fades away I try to tell her I will...I will Hang on.

Booth woke up in the recovery room with Cullen leaning over him, "Welcome back Booth."

"Thank you sir." he whispered thru dry lips.

Cullen reached over and fed him a few ice chips, "How are you feeling?"

"Stupid, for not listening to Sweets and Bones for not taking them seriously, but other than that, like I have a hole in my shoulder and... Bones! Is she OK?" Booth asked anxiously.

"She is fine, very worried about you, all of your squints are, but she is fine."

"Did you get her?" Booth asked referring to Pam.

"There was no need, Dr. Brennan put a bullet right thru her throat, eyewitnesses collaborate that it was in self defense, but you can do the paperwork while you are at the safe house."

"Safe house?"

"Yeah, you remember that guy you drove underground?" Cullen asked.

"Vaguely, can't seem to remember at the moment though."

"I know you are still wonky from the anesthetic, so here is the deal in a nutshell. We are going to fake your death, and hopefully at your 'funeral' he will come out of hiding. We will place you in the honor guard that way you can take him out yourself. How does that sound?"

"Everyone will think I am dead?"

"We inform whoever you wish that you are not really dead, just keep the list short."

"There are only three that need to be informed sir, my parents, my son, and Bones."

Cullen thought it over, "Ok Booth, I will pass your list to the appropriate channels. I take it you are going to do this."

"Do I have a choice? It is the only way we are going to catch him. Just make sure everyone is notified."

"I will," Cullen replied writing down the names.


	2. Chapter 2

Meanwhile Brennan, Hodgins, Angela, Zack and Sweets were in the waiting room, waiting for any information on Booth's condition and time seemed to crawl.

"What is taking so long?" Angela burst out, huddled in Hodgins arms.

"Depending upon where the bullet lodged, and the amount of vascular damage, the amount of time that has passed is not unusual," Zack piped up.

The doors at the end of the corridor opened up and a doctor in green scrubs wearily strode thru, "Are you here for Agent Booth?"

"Yes, I am Dr. Brennan, his partner. Can you tell us what is going on?" Brennan asked.

"Dr. Brennan, I am sorry to inform you that Agent Booth expired during surgery….There was nothing we could do," the doctor told her.

As Brennan bowed her head absorbing the blow, Angela started sobbing into Hodgins' shoulder, Cam shook her head in denial and Zack stood in shock, Sweets started observing her very closely trying to see her reaction to the death of her partner.

Raising her head she looked at the doctor and said, "Thank you doctor, I know…I know that you did all that you could."

Zack, Cam and Hodgins who was leading a sobbing Angela left the room, but Sweets lingered watching Brennan, "If you need anything or just to talk, my door is always open."

"Thank you Dr. Sweets, I guess I better go home, there is no reason to stay here any longer," Brennan announced, gathering up her things started heading for the door.

"Do you need a ride home?" Sweets tried again worried.

"No, Angela brought my car over from the bar, so I can drive myself home," Brennan announced, pausing, "Please, just go, I will be fine."

"Dr. Brennan will all due respect, you have just lost your partner and friend, even I am having problems coming to grips with Agent Booth's death."

"Why? Because he will no longer call you a 12 year old? Because your book project just got terminated? He is dead. Gone. No amount of crying or talking is going to bring him back, so back off! All I want to do at the moment is to go home, get these bloody clothes off and get cleaned up. Do you have an issue with that?"

Sweets knew when to give up, "No, I am sorry, I wasn't thinking. Be safe going home then Dr. Brennan."

When Brennan finally made it into her apartment she shut and locked her door and then she finally let what she was feeling out and with a howl she started sobbing out her grief and despair. With no concern for buttons or zippers she in her rage and grief literally ripped the clothes from her body and hurled them into the trash and simply collapsed into a puddle of raw emotions.

She cried at the senseless loss of two lives.

She cried for the loss of a partner.

She cried for the loss of a friend.

She cried for a son who had lost his father.

She cried for parents who had lost a son.

And she cried because of a stupid line.

After she had cried until she could cry no more she finally picked herself up off the floor and went in to take a shower. When she finally exited the shower her skin rubbed raw where she had scrubbed and scrubbed Booth's blood away, she got redressed and wandered into the living room where she took out the bottle of vodka and a glass. Pouring herself a glass she brought both her drink and the bottle to the sofa where she sat down and reminisced about Booth and their partnership.

She remembered his dedication to the job.

She remembered his ties, and socks.

She remembered his 'cocky' belt buckle.

She remembered his x-rays.

She remembered pie at the diner.

She remembered him being blown up and leaving the hospital to rescue her from Kenton.

She remembered him being tortured at the hands of Gallagher.

She remembered grasping his hand in the dirt pulling her free from the Gravedigger's trap.

She remembered his advice and his life lessons.

And most of all she remembered his smile.

As the liquid in the bottle got lower and lower, she began to dwell upon the fact that he helped her grow out of the compartments she had made of her life. He had brought her out into the sunshine, and that to survive she would have to retreat back into her old self, back into the shadows. So she told herself that instead of wallowing in her grief she would just carry on like she normally would, and go to work like normal and be Dr. Temperance Brennan, but tonight she was Bones, drinking to her partner's memory.

When the all clear was given, Booth was moved to an isolated ward within the hospital where strict instructions were given to the hospital staff that to any and all interested parties Seeley Booth had died in surgery as a result of the gunshot wound he had received. No visitors were allowed save for Director Cullen and the nurses and doctors who were in charge of his recovery.


	3. Chapter 3

The next morning Booth woke alone with only the beep of the heart monitor and a grinding pain in his shoulder to keep him company. He thought about what he could remember of the evening before, how beautiful and natural Bones looked up there on stage, finally letting her fun side out, and then how a carefree evening of frivolity turned into something so sinister and ugly.

As he shifted trying to both resist calling a nurse for painkillers and to find a comfortable spot, he thought back over the conversation he had had with Cullen the night before, wondering deep down if the plan would work, admittedly the person that Cullen was after did swear that he would 'dance at his funeral' but would he actually show up? But his job was not to wonder at the moment, it was to heal and prepare himself for the takedown when events aligned themselves.

Booth's shoulder decided at that time that he had had enough thinking for the moment and flared up to a new level of agony. Booth reluctantly reached over and punched the call button for the nurse and when she came in with a loaded hypo she injected into his IV, and as he drifted off into a drugged sleep thanked God that at least later that day Bones would be told that he was alive, and that he would be back soon.

Brennan woke up to the sound of her phone ringing and half asleep she listened as Cam's voice came over the answering machine telling her that the lab would be closed today and for her to take all the time she needed. But she needed no time, and getting up off the sofa where she had finally passed out last night went in to shower and to get ready to go into the lab.

Two hours later Dr. Temperance Brennan was in Bone Storage picking out a specimen to study and if possible identify, and carrying it to her table began to carefully lay out the bones in anatomical order. Taking out her Dictaphone she spoke, "Remains bin number 23289 found in Manassas VA in May 2003 during excavation for a new apartment building. Upon examination the victim is a Caucasian male approximately 15-17 years old. Bones look to be over 100 years old. Cause of death is a large caliber bullet wound which passed thru the left side of the mandible which completely destroyed the lower portion of his face. Upon examination of the relics bag, the only things that were found were two buttons which had engraved VMI from which I can now say that makes this one of the cadets of what was then Virginia Military Institute."

Writing up her findings and making a note to check her historical facts about the desperate cadet march, she retagged the bin and after gently replacing the bones, she carried it back down to Bone Storage and chose another.

In the Hoover building Cullen had delivered Booth's list to his secretary who was to take it to the person responsible for informing the people on it of Booth's status. When the list was finally delivered later that morning to its final destination after being vetted, Dr. Sweets looked at it deep in thought. Looking over the list he had no problems informing Booth's parents or his son of his non-death, but Dr. Brennan's reactions… now that would be a very interesting observation for his book. Was she grief stricken? Given the emotional connection that they shared that was a possibility. Would she compartmentalize his death? If she did that it would be interesting to see how long she could control her emotions, and her reaction to seeing him alive later may make it worth it for his book. But he would not make the decision to tell her that Booth was alive now, he would wait until after he spoke to her.

By the time lunch time had come and gone she had examined four more sets of bones, one WWI soldier, one homeless man who's bones told the story of malnutrition and neglect, and two sets of remains from the bombing of Pearl Harbor. After placing facial markers on the homeless man's skull, she hoped that Angela could help find out if he had a family somewhere.

When Brennan came up from Bone Storage with her sixth box of the day, she was dismayed to find out that she was no longer alone and schooling her features into a neutral expression she ignored Sweets who was standing in the empty lab obviously waiting for her.

"Good afternoon, Dr. Brennan, are you the only one here?"

"Yes, is there anything you need?"

"I was under the impression that the lab was closed today. Everyone I have spoken to today is still in shock over what happened yesterday. When I tried to call you at home there was no answer, so knowing you like I do decided to come over and check on you and see how you were doing,' Sweets explained.

"I am fine Dr. Sweets. Why should I not be?" Brennan answered him while laying out her latest batch of bones.

"Fine….I think not. Your partner was shot and killed yesterday."

"Life and death are constants here, you ought to know that."

"But it was your partner!" Sweets argued trying to get a reaction.

Brennan finally raised her head and her eyes were flat and still and Sweets shivered a bit at the lack of life held within them. The spark that they used to hold was extinguished and in its place was a focus that was almost inhuman, that nothing could penetrate, and Sweets finally knew what caused countless other FBI agents to refuse to work with the brilliant scientist a second time. For the first time he was looking at Dr. Temperance Brennan, not Bones, and until that moment he never knew that there was a difference. The Bones he knew with Booth was light years different from this emotionless doctor.

"He was my partner, that is true, but as he once told me 'everything happens eventually'. I knew that this was a possibility in the line of work that we do," she answered him, "Are you done Dr. Sweets? I have work to do."

Sweets tried one final time, "But you two had a strong emotional bond, don't you feel anything?"

Brennan had finally had it with the psychologist, "Dr. Sweets you was our couples counselor, since there is no longer a couple to analyze, I would appreciate it if you would please leave my lab before I call security."

"Ok Dr. Brennan, I will leave for now, but what if…." he started to tell her.

Brennan cut him off, "We no longer have anything to discuss. I am no longer your client. Good bye Dr. Sweets."

As Dr. Sweets left the lab he decided that he could have Cullen to assign him as a grief councilor so he can observe the whole lab dynamic to gauge everyone's reactions and to observe Dr. Brennan, with or without her consent, because he had made his decision, and he really wanted to see her reaction when she finally finds out that Booth is alive.

That evening Cullen informed Booth that the people on his list had been notified, and with an easy heart Booth drifted off to sleep, secure in the knowledge that his family knew the truth and that Bones knew that he did not leave her.

When Brennan finally made it home that night the iron control that she had held all day cracked and the hurt and loss that she felt poured back in. She still could not believe that he was gone, and as she curled up on her bed sobbing, she could not understand why this hurt more than her parents disappearing.

**Sorry that there has been no authors notes thus far, did not realize that they had to be done before uploading. I would like to thank everyone who has begun reading this and for you to enjoy and let me know how I am doing….reviews are like B/B kisses, they light up the world.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Good morning/afternoon/evening gentle readers. I hope you enjoy this chapter and pray I am doing a good job. Enjoy.**

The next morning Brennan took care with her makeup disgusing the storm from the night before. She rationalized that if she presented a no nonsense businesslike attitude, the pain would stay where she put it, she could hold it in and concentrate on her work.

As soon as she got to the lab she immersed herself in bones from Bone Storage and laying out the contents of the latest container before her, she rebuilt the walls around her heart bone by bone that Booth had smashed down with his cocky attitude and smile.

When Angela, Hodgins, and Zack arrived for work they were not surprised to see Brennan hard at work on the platform, but they were surprised by the words out of her mouth, "Angela, there are three skulls that I need you to put faces on for me. Dr. Hodgins, could you analyze the particulates fromthe samples I left on your desk and Dr. Addy, please help Dr. Hodgins and and when Cam comes in tell her that I need DNA run from these samples," she said handing Zack no less than 5 specimen jars.

"Sweetie, we need to talk," Angela said.

"I am sorry Angela, but I have work that needs to be done."

"Dr. Brennan, how long have you been in the lab?"

But Brennan tuned him out and looking at the bone she held with a magnifying glass glanced up at Zack asking, "Can you tell me the degree of decalcification of this bone?"

Zack hastily put down the jars and taking up a magnifying glass of his own looked at the bone in question, "Dr. Brennan, I would have to say without an x-ray that there appears to be an appreciable amount of decalcification, perhaps as much as twenty percent."

"Go ahead and take a core sample and do an x-ray and let me know what you find out, and don't forget to get those samples to Cam, I need those results as soon as possible."

"Yes Dr. Brennan." Zack said juggling the jars and bone.

Angela stood silent as Brennan consulted Zack on the bones in frount of her and as she finished up, turned her attention to something else, effectively ignoring the artist.

Angela grabbed Hodgins and hauled him to her office, and as soon as she shut the door she collapsed into a chair and said, "This is bad."

"Yeah, I don't think that I have ever seen Dr. Brennan in such a state," Hodgins replied.

"I have. When I first met her. Back in college."

"You mean..."

"Yeah. She is going to kill herself in work to keep from thinking about Booth. I am going to call Sweets and find out if he is able to talk to her," Angela said reaching for the phone.

After a conversation that seemed to last mere moments, Angela hung up the phone with a terrified look, "He was over here yesterday to talk to her, she threatened to call security to escort him out because he was interfering with her "work". He said that she may need a bit of time to assimulate the situation. He said that he would be over later in the week to see how we are coping."

"So what do we do?" a worried Hodgins asked.

"I guess I will have to give her a little space and hope that Booth's lessons will kick in at some point. But I am seriously worried about her. She is not the friend I know out there, and I am scared that she is going to shut everyone out."

"I know you are Babe, but do as you said give her a little space and maybe she will work it out for herself."

"But she is acting like nothing ever happened," Angela started crying, "That she is acting like Booth never existed, like we are not her friends, just co-workers and that is something I cannot do."

Hodgins sat and rocked her for a few moments until she quieted down, "That is something I can tell you she is not doing, even I can tell that she is in a lot of pain, and that he did exist for her, maybe more than we can imagine. I am going to go get to work on those samples she wanted. If that is the only thing that will make her happy at the moment..."

"You are right, and...I love you."

"Love you too Babe," he said as he left.

The day passed in a blur of work and the same thing happened again, as soon as Brennan made it home, the walls she spent the day building came tumbling down and again she broke down, the pain raw and uncontrollable as ever. She knew it was illogical, but somehow the tears kept coming, no matter how much she told herself that they wouldn't bring him back.

The week dragged on, and everyone was starting to seriously starting to worry about Brennan. They had never seen her so fixated on her work, they knew she was dedicated, but now she was obsessed with it. She never ate, never took a break, she only buried herself in her bones and ignored the world around her.

Sweets dropped in from time to time and a few people actually spoke to him of their grief, but in every impromptu session he had with the staff, the same topic always came up, Dr. Brennan's obsession with work, and how much she has changed. Dr. Sweets took careful note of his and her co-workers observations.

Booth spent the time in the hospital eating pudding and in rehab loosening up his shoulder, and by the end of the week was discharged and whisked in secret to a FBI safe house. The only visitor he had was Cullen and he wished Bones could come to visit. He even went so far as to admit he missed the rest of the squints more than he should have.

Every now and then he wondered if they had found anything else out about the Gorgonzola case. One night after reviewing what he remembered about it Booth finally realized that he had way too much time on his hands when he started remembering about that soccer team which crashed into the Andes. He started wondering if he was in that situation could he do what they did to survive. Then he started thinking of what Bones would do in the same situation, and the scary part was that he could hear her arguments including examples, the soccer team, the Donner party, and assorted shipwrecked sailors for it, and the social stigma that said survivors endured, Dahmer, and Gorgonzola against it. Great now he was arguing philosophy with himself and an imaginary Bones and she was STILL winning the argument!

Brennan meanwhile lead a double life, during the day she was the clinical scientist, but at night she was a broken doll wondering if there would ever be an end to the pain, wishing her partner would bring her Thai food in the middle of the night to cheer her up. Wondering if she would ever stop missing him. Logically she knew that the feelings she was having were normal, but the pain was now mixing with another emotion, guilt that it should have been her instead of him and she cried for his sacrifice.


	5. Chapter 5

**I would like to thank you for all of your kind reviews, you the reader really brighten my day. Unfortunatly things are winding down and soon we will come to the end...but until then enjoy...**

The weekend passed and Brennan took no time off, instead she spent the time locked up in her office doing the reams of paperwork for the bones she had identified during the week and when she had finished up with that, she wrote several chapters for her manuscript.

When Monday arrived it brought with it something Brennan could do without. The invitations to Booth's private funeral. No one had explained the delay between his death and his date of burial, but everyone assumed it was so that everyone who needed to be there could attend. Brennan when she received hers glanced at it without interest and dropped it into the wastebasket.

"Sweetie, why did you do that?" Angela asked.

"I do not need it, I am not going."

"What do you mean you are not going to Booth's funeral?" Angela asked her voice rising.

"I do not see the point of why people need to see a body placed into the ground, it is a pointless exercise."

"Bren…."

"Angela, we are at work…." Brennan started to say.

"I am not on the clock yet. _Bren_. Listen, I have put up with your all work and no talking attitude for the last week because I thought that at the time it was the best thing for you, but now I do not think that that is the case. People go to funerals to say a last goodbye, it gives them a sense of closure," Angela tried to explain.

"It is illogical, the only thing there is a cadaver. There is no rational reason for me to attend."

"But he was your friend, your partner."

"He was and now I imagine I will be assigned to someone else."

Angela tried another tack, "Did you even look at it."

"Yes, and I do admit they used an extremely attractive picture of him."

"Please Bren."

"No Angela. If you are finished, I for one would like to get back to work." Brennan said as she walked away.

"Please let us help you Sweetie…talk to us…everybody can see how badly you are hurting, even though you are trying to hide it from yourself," Angela whispered to Brennans' retreating back.

On the other hand Booth was busy planning with Cullen what to do when the suspect made his move.

"How is the shoulder?"

"Getting better, it should almost be good as new in a few days. It will take a while to get rid of all the stiffness, but it shouldn't affect my job performance. Do you honestly expect him to show?"

"If what he vowed is true, then yes he will make sure to be there. Ok here is the plan, the funeral will be in two days and we will place you in the honor guard. You do remember how that ceremony goes?" Cullen asked.

"I was a sniper, I've been a part of a few."

"We will get you a uniform and then…" Cullen continued.

"I have my own, besides I do not think you would know how to do the ribbons."

"You have a point. Ok I will send someone to get your uniform and have it delivered to my office, will put it out that your family wishes for you to be buried in it if anyone asks."

"Now that is a gruesome thought." Booth joked, "What could be weirder than attending your own funeral?"

"Thank goodness it isn't for real."

"Yeah." Booth answered him deep in his thoughts.

Later that night as Booth laid in bed he wondered how things were going at the Jeffersonian, thanking God that there hadn't been any cases where Bones had to work out in the field without him by her side. As he settled down into the pillows he wondered what imaginary discussion he would have that night with her, they had already in his mind done religion, meat and potatoes vs. vegetarian, cannabalism as an extreme measure and crappy sex vs. making love. He decided to think some more on the last one because one, he had some more arguments for it and two, it was a topic that he had a chance to have the last word at…at least in his imagination.

Everyone had gone home, but Brennan was still in the lab doing paperwork when Sweets walked in.

"Good evening Dr.Brennan."

Brennan grimaced and laid down her pen, deciding to be civil said, "Good evening, is there anything I can help you with?"

"The question really is, can I help you."

"Then you have had a wasted trip, go home Sweets and play with your action figures."

"I do not 'play' with them," he emphatically stated, "They are collector's items. I collect them."

"It is not logical to surround yourself with toys you do not play with," she stated.

"I do it for relaxation and over time their value will accrue."

"So they are an investment?"

"In a way yes. But I am not here to discuss my leisure activities, everyone here is worried about you." Sweets got back on track.

"Why should they, all I am doing is my job, which I find relaxing and an investment."

"Somehow I knew you was going to say that, and for you, yes, your job can be relaxing, but how is it an investment?" Sweets asked curiously.

"It is an investment in the future, finding out about how a body lived and died, some of these poor souls will never have a name, but their lives will be remembered all the same and will be studied by students around the world." Brennan answered him, "You may think I linger in the past, but truthfully, I am looking to the future."

Sweets thought a moment surprised that she had opened up to this extent to him. He wondered how far she would go, "I heard that you was not attending Agent Booth's funeral."

"That is correct."

"Why."

"Why should I? Angela keeps telling me I should go to say goodbye, but I cannot do that. He is gone and nothing is going to change that."

"But what about your feelings?"

"What feelings? He was my partner, nothing more."

Sweets got up to leave, "Are you sure about that?" he said as he walked out the door.

"No, I am not," she whispered to the empty lab.

When Brennan finally made it home that night it was all that she could do to hold the tears at bay. But when she reached into her briefcase she brought to light the invitation to Booth's funeral she had removed from the trash after Angela had left her office. Gently tracing his features with an unsteady finger she let the tears flow, the whole time whispering, "Why? Why did you have to go?"


	6. Chapter 6

**And here we are at the end, I hope you enjoyed this and I enjoyed writing it. Serious spoilers for PITH...Too bad I don't own Bones, FOX does, but I wish I did, only because Booth did not deserve the knuckle sandwich he got. Thank everyone for their kind reviews and keep on lovin' Bones!!**

On the day Booth was to be buried, Brennan was in the lab early examining yet another set of bones. When Zack came in she asked for his opinion which coincided with hers, and together they concluded that the skeleton was possibly a musician from Province, France.

Suddenly Hodgins, Angela, Sweets and Cam were surrounding the table that they were working at.

"It's time." Hodgins announced.

"I have made myself clear on the subject, I am not going." Brennan said.

"It is Agent Booth's funeral Dr. Brennan, losing a loved one…" Sweets started.

"A partner Sweets, I lost a partner." Brennan corrected him.

"Someone close to you, a funeral allows you to grieve, to come to terms with his death.."

"An aboriginal tribe in Australia grieves by burning down their village and moving to another one. That seems no crazier to me than gathering around a hole in the ground…"

"Being hostile…"

Angela pulled Brennan away from the group where Sweets was now sputtering in exasperation, "I know how you see this, and I respect that, but I have to go to this funeral, and I am not going to be able to get thru this alone…I have been crying for days….I need your shoulder here…I need my best friend."

Brennan sighed and then nodded her agreement.

That morning Booth took extra pains with his appearance, he wasn't just representing the FBI he was representing the honor of the Army. After making sure his shoes were polished to the highest gloss possible he donned his uniform jacket and adjusted his medals, making sure that they were straight. At a knock at the door, he opened it to find Cullen.

"You ready?"

"Yes."

"You know what to do?" Cullen asked anxiously.

"Yes I know what is on the line, and that we only have one shot at this."

"Good luck then."

"Thank you sir."

"Then lets go."

Cullen dropped him off at the funeral home where he would ride over with the rest of the honor guard. Hoping that he could finally catch this guy and make this farce worthwhile he finished his musings and listened attentively to the commanders instructions.

When they got to the cemetery the honor guard lined up in formation and Booth, not wanting to be recognized by accident kept his head bowed down in an attitude of respect, or so he hoped.

When the people from the lab got to the cemetery, they lined up just in front of the honor guard. Brennan somehow ended up standing in the middle of the line of squints, and knowing Angela, she probably arranged it that way on purpose. Caroline Julian was standing behind the casket eulogizing Booth, but Brennan couldn't keep still and nervously fidgeted thru out the service.

"That woman was aiming at me. I would have happily taken that bullet." She burst our in response to one of Caroline's remarks

"I know." Angela whispered trying to shush her.

As Caroline finished up and laid a white rose on Booth's casket she concluded her remarks, "May God's love and mercy shine on Seeley Booth as he takes his place beside the Lord."

Brennan burst out, "If there was a merciful God why wouldn't he have saved Booth?"

Sweets glanced over at Brennan and took note of her agitation.

The commander moved into position and the soldiers hoisted their guns to fire out their volley but as they were aiming, a man holding a rose made his way up to the casket. Suddenly the soldier on the end sprang into action, and shoving his gun into the hands of the soldier next to him barreled between Sweets and Zack and ran up to the man and attempted to take him down.

"What in the hell is going on?" Angela asked confused watching the two men wrestle.

The two men who were trading punches knocked over the casket which popped open revealing a mannequin.

"It appears that they are fighting," Zack observed watching the two men roll around with interest.

Brennan stood in shock not knowing what was going on, but as she watched the two trade punches she jumped into action and grabbed an arm out of the casket. When the soldier on the ground kicked the man off of him, the guy saw his gun which had fallen to the ground. Reaching to pick it up he did not see Brennan swing the arm like a golf club catching him across the jaw knocking him unconscious.

Throwing the arm down in disgust, she turned her attention to the soldier who was just struggling to his feet.

"Bones! Nice shot!" Booth exclaimed, but catching the expression on her face faltered, "What?"

And with that Dr. Temperance Brennan cracked, and taking a running start promptly slugged one Special Agent Seeley Booth across the jaw and knocked him flat. As the rest of the funeral party and squints looked down at Booth in shock and horror she stormed off not looking back.

But in the aftermath Sweets realized one thing, Bones was back, and God help him if she ever found out that she was supposed to have been told that Booth was alive. He decided that he better figure out a good cover story, because knowing her, she would find out the truth. After what she had just done to Booth, Sweets figured that he did not have a chance of getting out of this without broken bones, but he thought as he walked into the Jeffersonian, things will change, and hopefully for the better. Maybe they just MIGHT admit the bond that they have, but then again, maybe not. He did not know, he only hoped that he would be around to see it.

Fini.


End file.
